RED ARMY **** Documentaries are flourishing in the cinema world, for if well-made, they are informative, often moving and entertaining. They serve a public service in opening our eyes to realities we didn’t know existed (like Wim Wenders’ brilliant Salt of the Earth), but they can also be exhilarating, like this one about a legendary hockey team out […]

AMERICAN SNIPER *** A huge box-office hit in the US, with each showing often sold out, this latest Clint Eastwood film, about the real Navy Seal elite sniper Chris Kyle, is a red-blooded, all-American tale of a war hero. As that, it is a gripping tale of a driven, dedicated man, brilliantly directed, edited and acted, with Kyle […]

  SNOW THERAPY (TURIST/FORCE MAJEURE) **** (vo Swedish/French) Powerful is the word that best describes this Swedish film that, among its other awards, deservedly won the Jury Prize in the Certain Regard section at Cannes last year. It starts as a pale, austere skiing tale about a man who momentarily fails his family in an […]

Foxcatcher ****   The cast of Foxcatcher deserves an ensemble acting award, especially the usually-comedic Steve Carell, playing against type here, plus Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo as two close brothers. The film is based on the true story of the eccentric John duPont, from the fabled industrial family, who became a patron to the 1988 […]

Wild Tales (Les nouveaux sauvages) **** (vo Spanish)     A socially-conscious film from Argentina, Wild Tales/Relatos Salvages by Damian Szifron is a delicious, ferocious black comedy in several short stories – chilling and hypnotic in its analysis of revenge, social injustice and jealousy. It starts with a bizarre plane trip, free for all the passengers; another […]

We’re in luck in this brand new year of 2015 – fine films coming out in droves, with the three below a taste of some of the best. One gentle, the second electrifying and the third a Zen experience. Get to the movies and enjoy great cinema! Still Life (Une belle fin) **** This is […]

Mr. Turner *** Character-actor Timothy Spall won the best acting trophy at Cannes and at the European Film awards for his portrayal of the English painter William Turner. It is well known that the esteemed British director Mike Leigh has an unorthodox method of making films – there is no script, just an idea of […]

Of Horses and Men **** (vo Icelandic)     We are back in the Northern climes (after the brilliant Norwegian Refroidis/Kraftidioten), this time in Iceland, where at times they come up with superb cinema – mostly of the poker-faced, comedic style at which they excel. How can one describe this one by the talented first-time director Benedikt […]

Nightcrawler (Night Call) ****       Jake Gyllenhaal deserves an Oscar nomination for his powerful performance here as a determined psychopath whose main drive is ambition and achievement. He portrays a serious young man who wants to find a job, learn a trade, more than eager and willing to do anything to get ahead. He stumbles onto […]